Tyra

by Marisa Brown

Born and raised in Petersburg, VA, Tyra Bolling knew from a young age that she wanted to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. She started singing and dancing at talent shows in elementary school, and spent much of her free time practicing her craft. Her hard work paid off when, in 2004, at yet another one of these talent shows, a DJ from nearby Richmond was in the audience and decided to put her single, "Country Boy," on his radio show. Before too long Bolling was a local celebrity, helped also by the success of her second single, "Still in Love," which led to an opening spot on Destiny's Child's summer 2005 tour. Soon, she signed to Warner Bros., with plans made for her debut album, Introducing Tyra (which included the song "Get No Ooh Wee"), to be released. It wasn't until 2008, however, after yet another successful single, "Giving Me a Rush," hit the airwaves and television, that the singer, who was now calling herself Tyra B, issued her true debut, Past Due.